Run to Redfern for a taste of a classic French bistro, boasting a lively dining room, an easy-going wine culture, and a twice-daily happy hour. Baptiste, from the renowned group behind iconic Sydney venues such as Cho Cho San, The Apollo and Olympus, is designed to be a true neighbourhood restaurant, with a strong connection to its address on Baptist Street, open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, plus breakfast for guests of The EVE Hotel. "We've wanted to open a French restaurant for a long time, and Redfern felt like the right place to do it. We wanted Baptiste to have the spirit of a proper neighbourhood bistro: generous French cooking with a lighter touch, shaped by Australian produce, and a lively, welcoming room the local community can make its own. Whether you come in for oysters and a glass of wine, settle in for lunch or return for dinner, it should feel like somewhere you can enjoy on an ordinary Tuesday," says Owner and Operator of Orkhestra, Jonathan Barthelmess. Head Chef Luke Papalia's plates showcase French bistro cooking through an Australian lens. Classic dishes appear, such as French onion soup and pâté, a Niçoise salad, and confit duck legs with sausage and lentils. The menu also includes veal sweetbreads served on sweet bread, roast chicken with sauce suprême, and an onion tart with anchovies and crème fraîche. Baptiste's wine program, led by Sommelier Chris Morrison, features approximately 250 French and Australian wines, including rare bottles from Orkhestra's cellar. "We've spent more than 30 years building relationships with some incredible wine importers, and the past five or six years developing our own cellar. As our first French restaurant, we've had the opportunity to raid that collection for some truly special wines. The hardest part has been deciding what not to put on the list. At its heart, we want Baptiste to feel like a proper neighbourhood bistro, where you can walk in, tell us what you enjoy and trust us to pour you something wonderful," says Orkhestra Beverage Director Sam Christie. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner (and breakfast for guests of The EVE Hotel), Baptiste is designed as a true neighbourhood bistro, welcoming locals for social lunches and visitors for moody, low-lit dinners. A twice-daily happy hour (from 4-5pm and 10-11pm) features oysters and champagne, plus a $15 burger. "We wanted the spirit of a French bistro to come through in the atmosphere and materials, with a character that feels right for Redfern. The textures, furniture and lighting give the room an intimate, lived-in quality, while the direct entrance from Baptist Street brings the restaurant into the life of the neighbourhood," says designer George Livissianis. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
